Japan’s industry ministry plans to give chipmaker Rapidus an extra 631.5 billion yen (about US$4 billion) for research and development in 2026.
The ministry announced this support along with separate investment plans for Fujitsu and IBM Japan.
The government wants to boost semiconductor production by calling them “critical products.” It plans to invest over 10 trillion yen (about $62.8 billion) in chips and AI by 2030.
Semiconductors are very important because they are used in many products like home appliances and smartphones.
Rapidus is expected to play a key role in this plan and is aiming to start mass production of advanced chips in the second half of 2027.
The government also plans to invest about $942 million in Rapidus by March 2027. This is in addition to around $15.4 billion in total support already planned for the company.
It also announced funding of up to 76 billion yen (about $477 million) for projects by Fujitsu and IBM Japan.
Akazawa Ryosei said that even if a company has great technology, it cannot succeed unless people actually use it.
He added that along with Rapidus’ own efforts, the government will also help the company create demand and attract customers by providing financial support.
Read More- Smart Garage raises $257K in Pre-Series A round
